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Thermoelectric conversion element and thermoelectric conversion module

Active Publication Date: 2015-12-10
HITACHI LTD
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  • Summary
  • Abstract
  • Description
  • Claims
  • Application Information

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The invention provides a thermoelectric conversion element and a thermoelectric conversion module that have a high Seebeck coefficient, low thermal conductivity, and high performance even when using a low environmental load and cost-reducing material system.

Problems solved by technology

In reality, the amount of the heat energy discharged from trash burning sites, subways, or substations which closely exist is enormous.
The total amount of the energy of the waste heat is great, but the effective energy recollection technology has not been established.
In addition, if a voltage is applied to the both ends of the thermoelectric conversion element, a temperature difference is generated.
The Seebeck effect of this thermoelectric conversion was discovered in 1821, but there has been a problem in that the conversion efficiency is low.
In a Bi—Te-based material, the conversion efficiency is as high as a performance index ZT >1, but Bi and Te are both expensive, and Te is extremely toxic.
However, in the temperature range of 200° C. or lower, the thermoelectric conversion characteristic thereof does not reach that of the Bi—Te-based material, and thus further research and development are required in the future.

Method used

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  • Thermoelectric conversion element and thermoelectric conversion module
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  • Thermoelectric conversion element and thermoelectric conversion module

Examples

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embodiment 1

[0087]A first embodiment of the invention is described with reference to FIGS. 9A to 12B. In addition, contents which are not described in the embodiment but are described in the Description of Embodiments can be applied to the embodiment, as long as there are no special circumstances.

[0088]First, a process of manufacturing a fine particle thermoelectric element that configures a thermoelectric conversion element according to the first embodiment of the invention is described with reference to FIGS. 9A to 9E. FIG. 9A illustrates a step of preparing a SOI substrate 100 obtained by sequentially stacking a SiO2 layer 102 and a monocrystal Si layer 103 on a Si substrate 101. The thickness of the Si layer 103 is set to be 20 nm. Subsequently, a resist film 104 is formed by applying a positive resist for electron beam lithography on the surface of the Si layer 103 of the SOI substrate 100 (FIG. 9B). Subsequently, the resist film 104 is patterned by electron beam lithography and a resist f...

embodiment 2

[0093]A second embodiment of the invention is described. In addition, contents which are not described in the embodiment but are described in the Description of Embodiments and Embodiment 1 can be applied to the embodiment, as long as there are no special circumstances.

[0094]FIGS. 13A and 13B are perspective views for describing a conventional thermoelectric conversion module, FIG. 13A illustrates a state in which plural N layers 240 and plural Players 245 are disposed on plural lower electrodes 250, and FIG. 13B illustrates a state in which plural upper electrodes are disposed in a manner of being deviated to plural lower electrodes so that the plural N layers 240 and the plural P layers 245 illustrated in FIG. 13A are all connected in series. In the thermoelectric conversion module, with respect to the N layers and the P layers all connected in series, for example, if an anode side of the power supply is connected to the extraction electrode 250 on the lowermost right side of the ...

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Abstract

In order to provide a thermoelectric conversion element which has a high Seebeck coefficient, a low thermal conductivity, and a high performance, even if the material system that has a low environmental load and can reduce the cost is used, the thermoelectric conversion element in which lattice points are classified into two or more kinds (A site and B site), lattices of which the kinds are different are connected to each other, the numbers of lattices of which the kinds are different are different (A site: 2, and B site: 1), and a lattice structure is configured by arranging nanoparticles or semiconductor quantum dots, includes areas of which conductivity types are different.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD[0001]The invention relates to a thermoelectric conversion element and a thermoelectric conversion module in which materials having nanosize lattices or fine particles are used, by using artificial organization or self-organization.BACKGROUND ART[0002]Currently, due to circumstances of environment, energy problems, and the depletion of resources, an active use of natural energies such as solar energy, wind power, and geothermal heat which are not accompanied by the generation of greenhouse gases without depending on fossil fuels is desired. While solar power generation, wind power generation, and the like in which environmental load is low are spread, effective use of heat energy has been attracting attention. In reality, the amount of the heat energy discharged from trash burning sites, subways, or substations which closely exist is enormous. The temperature of the waste heat discharged from trash burning sites or the like is as high as 300° C. to 600° C., and the te...

Claims

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Application Information

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IPC IPC(8): H01L35/26H01L35/32
CPCH01L35/32H01L35/26H10N10/857H10N10/00H10N10/13H10N10/01H10N10/17
Inventor YABUUCHI, SHINHAYAKAWA, JUNKUROSAKI, YOSUKENISHIDE, AKINORISUWA, YUJI
Owner HITACHI LTD
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